Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 22, 2015

Greetings, to all! This Sunday we’re in 5th Sunday of Lent and I hope everyone are looking forward for the Holy Week, and ready for the celebration of Easter. This 5th Sunday of Lent we have my favorite scripture, “Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest [Jn.12:24].”

It reminds us to be able to grow in our faith that we are going to die in ourselves, to be able to let go of our own ego. There is a wonderful story of a mother whose son was preparing for college, wrote the following letter to the college president:

Dear Sir: My son has been accepted for admission to your college and soon he will be leaving me. I am writing to ask that you give your personal attention to the selection of his roommate. I want to be sure his roommate is not the kind of person who uses foul language, or tells off-color jokes, smokes, drinks, or chases after girls. I hope you will understand why I am appealing to you directly. You see, this is the first time my son will be away from home, except for his three years in the Marines.

Nothing, apparently, could make that mother let go. Not college or even the United States Marines. But Jesus comes to us today telling us we’ve got to let go. In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus is trying to prepare His disciples for His death. They don’t want to hear about it. They refuse to accept it. They cannot believe that HE whom they had experienced as Lord of Life is going to be executed.

In order to help them understand, Jesus tells them a simple, liberating little parable: “Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest” [Jn.12:24]

Even when it feels as though life’s burden and responsibilities are crashing down on you, it is possible for you to be free. “Fear not!” Jesus is telling you, “Follow me!” For when you commit to the New Life in Christ, you never ride alone. And how can we not love that?

“I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people”

Today we pray the beautiful penitential psalm, Psalm 51, composed by King David after the prophet Nathan went to him exposing his sin of murder and adultery. David repented, and went on to become one of the most influential kings in Israel’s history. We, you and I, probably don’t have sins of this magnitude to confess, but we all have things that keep us from God. Let us come back to him with all our hearts, and choose Christ, choose love, choose mercy.

Next Sunday, Palm Sunday, begins Holy Week. We are diligently preparing lots of beautiful music to make these liturgies musically rich and prayerful. The choir will provide music for all the Holy Week Liturgies, including Holy Thursday (5:30 pm), Good Friday (1 pm), Holy Saturday (5 pm) and Easter Sunday morning. Let us invite our family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to church. An invitation may be all they need! God bless you!